Posts: 16

Topic: Help with Barre form

I am having trouble when barring the F chorde, it seems the B string has a vibration. I have tried several things to correct this but when I play a song it comes back. I don't know if I am holdingmy index finger wrong or not bending my wrist correct or what, Please help.

Re: Help with Barre form

Could be the B string is in fringer crease or your not pushing the string down hard enough either way it's just practice try 2 beats of and 2 beats of G bar chord back and forth and to A and B at the 7 th fret good luck and don't give up it will come

Re: Help with Barre form

One thing I find very important is posture. If you're seated don't arch your back and turn your guitar upwards so you're looking at the fretboard. Twisting your wrist round will make your index finger mute the B string. I am very guilty of the same thing. Sit or stand straight with the guitar flat to your body. Also hold the guitar at a comfortable angle so your hand and fingers can work the fretboard freely. One thing I try when practicing is to play a song, then midway through just stop, and play whatever chord you're holding one string at a time to see if they're clear or if you're muting any.

Re: Help with Barre form

Strummerboy Bill wrote:

I wish I could play every song with barres. Is such a thing even possible, Bryan?

Bill

I'm sure Bryan will chime along shortly, but actually Bill you theoretically should be able to do it. If you check out Justinguitar's tutorials, he claims that you can do pretty much everything with 5 "grips" (actually 5 with a E string root, and 5 more with an A string root). Which holds true if you limit yourself to Major, Minor, 7ths, Maj7, flat 5 ,and Dom 7th chord patterns. Get into Diminished, Augmented, and / ("slash") chords and you kinda have to toss the barre out in favor of freeing up enough fingers to hit all the voicings.

That's why the Lord made "altered tunings"........ so us arthritic folks don't have to "pretzelate" our digits.

Ooorrrrrr, You can do a "Beamer" and crank the amp up and bash away with "power Chords"........ with enough volume and distortion you can't tell the difference between a Major, Minor, or 7th.

Re: Help with Barre form

Strummerboy Bill wrote:

I wish I could play every song with barres. Is such a thing even possible, Bryan?

Bill

I tend to find things not to bad on my steel strung acoustic if I dont get to ambitious. Now the 12er and the nylon strung are a different matter. The fretboards are to wide and the neck to thick, I find they're best played using a capo and playing open chords.

Re: Help with Barre form

rcwalto, welcome to chordie. All the above advice is "spot on". As Russell said it is important to use the side of the index finger when making a barre chord. Now this don't you need to "roll" the undex finger into an uncomfortable position. All you need to do is get the finger off the flat "soft" part of the finger and onto the "harder", side, part of the finger.

One thing that was not mentioned was string guage and set-up. Normally a acoustic guitar uses heavier strings than an electric. This is what makes barre's easier to make on an electric guitar. Medium to medium light strings will work better for barre's but you may loose a little of the bass you get with the heavier strings. Also a proper set-up with a lower action will help you in making barre chords. Now having said all this - nothing beats practice.

Re: Help with Barre form

I too am just learning to barre, practising the F chord...its a bitch! The B string vibrating is a common issue until your fingers get stronger. I too try to barre on the side of my finger as its less fleshy. Thing is my whole arm starts to ache after only a few minutes practise. I have to really push down to get any sound. Its deff easier on the electric but I am hoping with practise I'll get it, as its really frustrating!!

"I won't explain or say I'm sorryI'm unashamed, I'm gonna show my scarGive a cheer for all the brokenListen here, because it's who we are.."

Re: Help with Barre form

I learned the "thumb-over" from the start. Some of the "purists" scoffed at me. But other guitar "players" go with the fact that it is just another "TOOL/technique" to use for playing. If it sounds good.......it's good. The only issue I have with the technique is to play an F#m where you need to fret the 3 high strings. I have become accustomed to using a barre for the F#m. Keep it FUN......Dean

Re: Help with Barre form

1) Keep the guitar neck at a 35-degree angle (or more) to the floor, not straight out. It's physically a much more natural position for the wrist and fingers.

2) Roll the index finger back a bit to get rid of the soft, fleshy indent of the knuckle joints from off the strings

3) Practice barre chords on an acoustic, as they're often a bit more demanding than an electric (slightly heavier strings, slightly higher action, slightly wider neck). Once one switches over to the electric, the barre chords will lock down much easier.